Files
act_runner/examples/docker-compose/README.md
stecklars c82077e6b5 examples: improve DIND rootless network performance (#786)
## Summary
- Add `DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_NET=slirp4netns` and `DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_MTU=65520` to the DIND docker-compose example
- The `docker:dind-rootless` base image defaults to vpnkit as the network driver, which has substantially lower throughput than slirp4netns

## The problem

I noticed that pulling containers as well as downloading data within the container when running act_runner as DIND was very slow (see Ookla speedtest results in the following). While analysing the issue, I found that this was caused by the usage of vpnkit.

The `docker:dind-rootless` base image defaults to vpnkit as the network driver. slirp4netns was [added as an opt-in option](https://github.com/docker-library/docker/pull/543) and must be explicitly enabled via `DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_NET=slirp4netns`.

This means anyone following the current DIND example gets vpnkit, which has significantly lower network throughput. This affects **all** network operations in the container — image pulls, package installs, and CI tasks.

Per the [rootlesskit iperf3 benchmarks](https://github.com/rootless-containers/rootlesskit/blob/master/docs/network.md):

| Driver | MTU 1500 | MTU 65520 |
|--------|----------|-----------|
| **vpnkit** | 0.60 Gbps | not supported |
| **slirp4netns** | 1.06 Gbps | 7.55 Gbps |

## Real-world benchmark results (Ookla speedtest, same server)

| | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|
| **Default (vpnkit)** | ~130 Mbps | ~126 Mbps |
| **slirp4netns + MTU 65520** | ~958 Mbps | ~462 Mbps |

## References
- [docker-library/docker#543](https://github.com/docker-library/docker/pull/543) — added slirp4netns to dind-rootless as opt-in (vpnkit remains default)
- [rootlesskit network docs](https://github.com/rootless-containers/rootlesskit/blob/master/docs/network.md) — iperf3 benchmarks

---------

Co-authored-by: Lunny Xiao <xiaolunwen@gmail.com>
Reviewed-on: https://gitea.com/gitea/act_runner/pulls/786
Reviewed-by: silverwind <silverwind@noreply.gitea.com>
Co-authored-by: stecklars <stecklars@noreply.gitea.com>
Co-committed-by: stecklars <stecklars@noreply.gitea.com>
2026-02-16 07:56:45 +00:00

2.1 KiB

Running act_runner using docker-compose

...
  gitea:
    image: gitea/gitea
    ...
    healthcheck:
      # checks availability of Gitea's front-end with curl
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "<instance_url>"]
      interval: 10s
      retries: 3
      start_period: 30s
      timeout: 10s
    environment:
      # GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN can be used to set a global runner registration token.
      # The Gitea version must be v1.23 or higher.
      # It's also possible to use GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN_FILE to pass the location.
      # - GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN=<user-defined registration token>

  runner:
    image: gitea/act_runner
    restart: always
    depends_on:
      gitea:
        # required so runner can attach to gitea, see "healthcheck"
        condition: service_healthy 
        restart: true
    volumes:
      - ./data/act_runner:/data
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
    environment:
      - GITEA_INSTANCE_URL=<instance url>
      # When using Docker Secrets, it's also possible to use
      # GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN_FILE to pass the location.
      # The env var takes precedence.
      # Needed only for the first start.
      - GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN=<registration token>

Running act_runner using Docker-in-Docker (DIND)

...
  runner:
    image: gitea/act_runner:latest-dind-rootless
    restart: always
    privileged: true
    depends_on:
      - gitea
    volumes:
      - ./data/act_runner:/data
    environment:
      - GITEA_INSTANCE_URL=<instance url>
      - DOCKER_HOST=unix:///var/run/user/1000/docker.sock
      # Use slirp4netns instead of vpnkit for significantly better network throughput.
      - DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_NET=slirp4netns
      - DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_MTU=65520
      # When using Docker Secrets, it's also possible to use
      # GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN_FILE to pass the location.
      # The env var takes precedence.
      # Needed only for the first start.
      - GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN=<registration token>